Participation Fee Numbers Hold Steady
June 27, 2012
Although the use of participation fees to help fund interscholastic athletics in Michigan high schools has doubled during the last nine years, the percentage of schools assessing them has held steady over the last two, according to surveys taken by the Michigan High School Athletic Association of its member institutions.
The most recently completed survey indicates that of 514 member schools participating, 260 schools – 50.5 percent – charged participation fees during the 2011-12 school year. In the 2010-11 survey, fees were being used at 50.4 percent of schools participating.
There were 763 senior high schools in the MHSAA membership this school year – the survey generated a response rate of 68 percent. This was the ninth survey of schools since the 2003-04, when members reported that fees were being used in 24 percent of schools.
The most recent survey also showed that fees incurred by students who paid once for an entire year of participation increased slightly from 2010-11 to 2011-12 – although the maximum fee per family decreased slightly.
The most popular method of assessing participation fees continues to be a payment for each sport an athlete goes out for, used by 41.5 percent of schools in 2011-12. That median fee among schools in the survey has increased only $5, to $75, since 2009-10.
A standardized annual fee per student was used by 24.5 percent of schools in the past year. Since Fall 2003, that fee has increased from $75 to $120 – a 60 percent increase – with the fee increasing $20 per athlete from 2010-11 to 2011-12.
Beginning with the 2004-05 survey, schools were asked in the survey if they had a cap on what individual student-athletes and families could be charged. Caps on student fees have been used by the majority of schools, but that number has dropped from 71.3 percent in 2004-05 to 55 percent in 2011-12. However, the number of schools instituting a cap on what a family pays has increased from 41 percent having a limit in 2004-05 to 49 percent in 2011-12.
Other data from the 2011-12 survey shows 64.5 percent of schools with participation fees have some kind of fee reduction or waiver program in place based on existing programs for subsidized lunch and milk (down from 68 percent in 2010-11); that 14 percent of schools using fees report a drop in participation; and that slightly more than one percent of schools report losing students to other school districts because they are charging fees. Five percent of schools not assessing fees in 2011-12 report transfers to their districts because of the absence of fees. Also, seven percent of schools not assessing fees had done so previously.
The survey for 2011-12 and surveys from previous years can be found on the MHSAA Website by clicking on Schools – Administrators – Pay-To-Play Resources.
MHSAA Tickets Go Digital with GoFan
November 2, 2020
By John Johnson
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties
The MHSAA, in partnership with GoFan and high schools across the state, have kicked off the 2020 Football Playoffs with a new touchless, digital ticket offering.
Sporting events across the country are looking a little different this year with limited capacity in stadiums, social distancing and other statewide regulations that are challenging state associations and schools to think creatively on how to get fans in the stands safely. Digital ticketing is a faster and more expedient way to attend events and now a safer way as well.
“GoFan will make it easier on our spectators to purchase tickets for our tournament events and easier for our tournament sites from a management standpoint." said Mark Uyl, Executive Director of the MHSAA. “During this pandemic, GoFan is making it more convenient – and safer – for everyone.”
With limited capacity in mind, a select number of tickets are distributed to each team in advance of the game. Priority ticket purchasing is available first to parents and family members through a VIP link. Public sale of tickets may not be offered at all sites, based on availability, but purchasing may be done on the participating school GoFan pages beginning at 6 p.m. Wednesday each week.
“GoFan is proud to partner with the MHSAA and play a key role in their digital ticketing implementation across the (state),” said B.J. Pilling, Chief Executive Officer of GoFan. “Digital ticketing is being adopted as the primary choice for many high schools and state associations."
MHSAA and GoFan also are implementing touchless ticketing across the state of Michigan during soccer, volleyball and cross country championships.
For a full list of championship events and how to get your tickets, click here.
About GoFan: GoFan is the leading digital ticketing solution for high school events. Led by innovative technology and unmatched support, GoFan provides schools with a turnkey platform to manage season, online, and at-event ticket sales. GoFan is a product of Huddle Tickets, which has provided over 2 billion event tickets to schools since 2001. Serving over 2,000 high schools and 37 state associations, GoFan provides fans frictionless access to high school events across the country (click link for more). You can also follow the company on Twitter @GoFanHS and LinkedIn, and like GoFan on Facebook.
About Michigan High School Athletic Association: The MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation of voluntary membership by more than 1,500 public and private senior high schools and junior high/middle schools which exists to develop common rules for athletic eligibility and competition. No government funds or tax dollars support the MHSAA, which was the first such association nationally to not accept membership dues or tournament entry fees from schools. Member schools which enforce these rules are permitted to participate in MHSAA tournaments, which attract more than 1.4 million spectators each year.